Around and about Bolton

1. Where is Bolton?
Bolton is 16 kilometres north-west of Manchester.

2. What significant historical event took place in Bolton?
In the 1640s, there was a civil war in England between supporters of the King and supporters of the Parliament, many of whom lived in Bolton. In 1644, the King’s troops attacked the town. 1,600 residents were killed in what became known as the Bolton Massacre.

3. Does Bolton have any other claim to fame?
Bolton was one of the very first places to have a public library. It was opened in 1853, after the government passed the Public Libraries Act in 1850. And, with 261,000 people living in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Bolton is the largest place in Britain to be officially classified as a town and not a city.

4. What else can the people of Bolton be proud of?
According to research conducted by the British Association for the Advancement of Science, the people of Bolton are the friendliest in Britain.

5. What is the connection between Bolton Wanderers and Reebok?
Reebok, the manufacturer of sports footwear and accessories, was founded in Bolton in 1895. Reebok have a sponsorship deal with Bolton Wanderers, whose new ground is called the Reebok Stadium.

6. So are Reebok products manufactured in Bolton?
No. Reebok no longer have any operations in Bolton. Their headquarters are now in the USA and production is in China, Indonesia and other countries in Asia, the Caribbean and Africa. They are now a truly international firm, who also sponsor teams in Indian Premier League cricket and the Australian Football League.

7. Do Bolton Wanderers hold any football records?
Yes, they do. In 1923, a match between Bolton Wanderers and West Ham at Wembley in London had a crowd of 126,047. That was a record.

Click here for a vocabulary activity

What do you remember about Bolton?

Read the statements about Bolton and decide if they are true or false.

Exercise

Who are the most famous people from Bolton?
Two young British men from Bolton are big stars: Amir Khan and Peter Kay. But what do they do?

• Amir is a boxer; Peter is a comedian.
• Amir is a politician; Peter is a TV chef.
• Amir is a TV chat show host; Peter is a pop star. 
• Amir is a Bolton Wanderers player; Peter is a rugby player.

Find out more about Bolton from Visit Britain's Bolton destination guide.